The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Spathiphyllum plant, botanically known as Spathiphyllum hybrid, and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name `Galaxy`.
The new cultivar is a product of a planned and controlled breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Merelbeke-Melsen, Belgium. The objective of the breeding program is to create freely-flowering Spathiphyllum cultivars with large leaves and spathes. The new cultivar originated from a deliberate cross by the Inventor in 1997 of the Spathiphyllum cultivar `Lynise`, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 6,145, as the female or seed parent and the Spathiphyllum cultivar `Gigant`, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 7,657, as the male or pollen parent. The cultivar `Galaxy` was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a plant within the progeny of the stated cross in a controlled environment in Merelbeke-Melsen, Belgium.
Compared to plants of the female parent, the cultivar `Lynise`, plants of the new Spathiphyllum are more symmetrical, have darker green and glossier leaves, and are more freely flowering. Compared to plants of the male parent, the cultivar `Gigant`, plants of the new Spathiphyllum have darker green leaves and larger spathes.
Asexual propagation of the new cultivar by tissue culture in a laboratory in Belgium has shown that the unique features of this new Spathiphyllum plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations of asexual propagation.